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Showing posts from January, 2011

[Daily Doodle] Jan. 31, 2011

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This one's totally uninspired. Before... And after...

[Project Look Book] Monday, Jan. 31, 2011

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Yabadabadoo! I made it through the first month of Project Look Book! This week I'll be following a theme: old clothes only ! This means I only get to wear the oldest clothes that I can find in my closet. At least the ones that fit me, though. You see, I rummaged through my stuff yesterday and was horrified to find year-old shirts that don't fit me anymore! ( Note to self: Lose weight. Fast! ) Luckily, there were still a lot more - even much older stuff - that still fit. Not so lucky with the pants, however. So let's exempt them from the theme, shall we? This yellow striped shirt is from Dean & Trent at The Ramp. If my memory serves me right, it's about 2 years old or more. The shoes are even older, probably 3 or 4 years. Got them from Zara at an I'll-never-forget-price of only Php 2,500 (they were on sale!). Sadly that price for leather shoes in Zara has long been committed to memory. Three items here I got from SM: pants (Dansen), belt (Hickock), and tie

Kota kopi

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Last week my officemate JM arrived from a vacation in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. I was lucky to be given this: It's a 3-in-1 coffee mix in a really huge stick (and yes, pang-isang timplahan lang siya ). It instantly dwarfed my Via, look:

[Daily Doodle] Jan. 30, 2011

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This one I like. Before... And after...

Daily Doodle 2011

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Daily Doodle, I've decided, is another of my year-long projects for 2011, just like Project Look Book . It's basically filling up this thing: It's a daily calendar by Japanese illustrator Taro Gomi that My Bibe bought from Amazon. It's got 365 pages with some illustrations already in it, but which are left for you to complete by exercising your creativity in answering a question or following an instruction printed at the top left corner of each page. I love the imperfect illustrations, devoid of any imposing attitude. They convey a sense of light-heartedness that encourage you to just be creative and have fun, that your doodles don't have to be perfect at all. So this is my task, to fill up every single page for every single day of 2011, take a photo, then post. A little caveat, though: since we only got the calendar in the middle of January, I played catch-up and ante-dated some posts. (Try the " Daily Doodle " navitab to view all doodle

Lost in translation

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Ikaw ba'y nalolongkot, nababagot at walang makaosap? Still can't get over what happened yesterday that became a source of so much fun. It all started when  churchovdeath , my officemate, asked me to try Google Translate . Pretty much nothing, one might think - until I was told to translate "molecule mad" from English to Filipino. See what happens...

[Daily Doodle] Jan. 29, 2011

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Before... And after...

[Project Look Book] Friday, Jan. 28, 2011

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Friday! In the mood for green today. What started it were the shoes from Diesel. I believe they're more than 5 years old already, 6 perhaps. Had to wear them once in a while so the material won't dry up and break. So I pulled out this green Armani Exchange shirt from my closet to go with them. A little "matchy-matchy" though. Jeans from Topman . The suit jacket's from Merger. Slipped it on at times during the day to dress my outfit up a bit. After all, we were still in the office. But for the most part I looked just like this:

Panic buying

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I'm hoarding! Why?

[Daily Doodle] Jan. 28, 2011

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Before... And after...

[Project Look Book] Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011

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It's an all-black ensemble today... ...with some white! I've had these shoes for some time now. Gives me something to read when I'm bored. Bought them at Theodore's in Bonifacio High Street before they closed shop (miss that store). They actually opened a new store after that near the Legaspi Park in Makati but they also closed down just last December. Ribbed pullover from U2 (By the way, does this brand still exist? I just know it's related to G2000 .); pants, Sahara at SM.

How's Hayden?

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After much dillydallying with which bottle of fragrance to open ( whole story here ), I tried this one: Bought it on a whim right after New Year's at Glorietta. My Bibe and I were on our way to The Ramp when we saw Hayden Kho's fragrance counter. Out of curiosity, we sampled different scents. I know when you hear his name you think scandal, Katrina Halili, or Careless Whisper but from an objective standpoint, they do smell good . Hindi amoy "Careless Whisper" (utot in Pinoy slang) , to answer a comment I've read.   I must admit, Hayden has indeed something to offer with his line.

[Daily Doodle] Jan. 27, 2011

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Do I really need to mention I went straight to doodling - again?

Free carbs!

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For all bread lovers out there like me, here's a treat from SM Advantage : free bread from Goldilocks ! Earlier this evening I dropped by this Goldilocks along J.P. Rizal in Makati for some bread. And while I was at it, avail of the offer as well. I was somehow "forced" to get a lot of polvoron just to make it to Php 300. But at the counter I was told " naubos na 'yung maliit ." She meant the 400g, so I can't have free bread. Great, I thought. So I returned all the other stuff and got just a loaf of bread (which was my primary purpose of going there in the first place) and lechon paksiw in foil packs. Anyway, I never really meant to buy polvoron. I thought I'd just come back some other time for that free healthtinapay . It's still a good offer after all. Cheap ko ba? Harhar!

[Project Look Book] Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2011

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I already anticipated that office temperatures would still be not as cold today - and I was right ( related story here ). Hence, I wore short sleeves. Got this shirt from SM years ago. It's just one of those "nameless" brands that the store carries but I liked it then, and I still like it now. If you look at it closely, you'd appreciate the detailing on the fabric, considering the price (I'm sure it was less than Php 500 back then). Apart from the print, there's stitching all over. You see, one need not be confined to known and expensive brands. There will always be some good finds out there somewhere. The gray pinstripe pants I got from MBK Mall in Bangkok; shoes, Frank at Traffic.

Via lovers, rejoice!

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Dropped by a Starbucks this afternoon to replenish my Via stash. Surprise, surprise! It was Buy 1, Get 1 for my favorite instant coffee. And I'm not talking of a free stick here. If you buy a pack of 3, you get another pack free; if a box of 12, then another box is yours for the taking. There is no promo period, as the offer is good until supplies last. I was so excited I though I should hoard. Unfortunately I didn't have my wallet with me and my cash was only enough for two boxes of 12. So I got myself one Columbia (plus the free box): And one Italian Roast Decaf for My Bibe (plus the free box): While checking out my stash at the cashier, I asked them why it was on sale. According to the barista, it was to "move" stocks. Okay, I thought. But on second thought, were stocks near expiry? So I checked my purchase.

[Daily Doodle] Jan. 26, 2011

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Before... And after...

Scents, scents, scents - which bottle to open?

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I just used up this tiny 15ml bottle of Polo Ralph Lauren Modern Reserve - finally! It was actually part of a travel pack I got at a Duty Free in NAIA 2 back in June last year (while waiting for our flight to Bangkok). I know, it sounds crazy we actually bought stuff before we even left the country. I love scents but I try my best not to open so many bottles at once. At most three are in rotation. My Terre D'Hermes  (which I adore) is also slowly drying up. Done with Body Shop White Musk and Davidoff Cool Water  as well. Now I can open a new one, right? But which one? You'll never guess what I picked, especially since it's not in the photo. Got at least one compliment yesterday when I first used it. Not to worry, some sort of review is due in another post. I'm still "feeling" this new scent. Update:  It's from the much-maligned Hayden Kho. But put all prejudices aside because  Hayden Kho's line of fragrances may surprise you.

[Project Look Book] Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2011

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I'm really frustrated with the faulty air conditioning in the office since last week. According to the maintenance guys, a purchase requisition for some parts was still in process. But I guess I'm more frustrated that I don't get to wear my jackets, that's why. Today I opted for a "fresh" look, something light and easy on the eyes. Shirt, Paul Smith ; pants, Dansen at SM. I'm actually glad that I'm finding more slim-fitting pants at department stores lately. Not that they fit perfectly but at least I now have cheaper alternatives that can somehow pass for what I'm really looking for. But of course underneath the calm surface are orange socks for some punch! But then, they're not just plain orange socks, as you can see below. Even more punch, eh? These socks are just part of several others - primarily wacky - that My Bibe got for me at Urban Outfitters online. Shoes, Zara.

[Daily Doodle] Jan. 25, 2011

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Before... And after...

[Project Look Book] Monday, Jan. 24, 2011

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Got a lot of comments and compliments for my shirt today, which I had been putting off from wearing for several months now. I even forgot where I scored it. The Ramp, I suppose. Now looking at it, I think it's the pleating details running diagonally in front that makes an impression. One even had a double take 'cause he thought I had a sash or something. There's also more pleating on both sleeves. The light blue tie was from an old uniform set which I never got to wear; I only used the ties. Black pants from Sahara at SM.

[Daily Doodle] Jan. 24, 2011

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Before... And after...

BBC Photo Shoots

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BBC stands for Bulletin Board Committee. Yes, we do have one in our department. The bulletin board is basically just an avenue to uphold the spirit of fun in the workplace. Here we mount displays about our past events, Rewards and Recognition, promotions and upgrades, more events, and of course, monthly birthday celebrants. And for the last one, we don't just put up something, we do photo shoots - dress up, hair, makeup - the works! No professional lighting, though. We primarily work with the fluorescent lighting in the office. We've been doing this thing for the last three years at least, and from my experience, people appreciate the activity. We started it on a quarterly basis, then in 2009 went all out with a monthly frequency. As of writing, we're in post-production for our January 2011 Rosario -inspired shoot. In the meantime, let me share with you our displays for the past two years. December 2010. Ho! Ho! Ho! Sexy santa girls in the house. One of my "dr

[Daily Doodle] Jan. 23, 2011

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Forgot. Again. Anyway, you could clearly see what the original illustration was.

[Daily Doodle] Jan. 22, 2011

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Before... And after...

Part

Today marks the 9th death anniversary of my Lola Inday  with whom I have a lot of fond memories. I'm sharing with you an article I wrote about her way back in 2003 for a local paper in Ormoc. Made a few updates, though. So here goes... Part  (Short for ‘Partner’) No, he isn’t any bosom buddy. Nor is he an office colleague. He isn’t my gimmick partner either. In fact, Part is no guy. She’s my grandmother. Well, she was. I never really had any vivid memory of her while I was still growing up as a kid in Manila. I knew she visited us at times. But that was all I could call to mind. Yes, I was told funny anecdotes about her and her feeble grasp at Tagalog. But then again, they failed to register with my childhood memory. Following my parents’ separation, we went on an exodus to Ormoc, my mother’s hometown. That began a new chapter in my life, an episode where Part was no longer a “guest” but a part of the main ensemble. At the time, my mother had to be in Manila for the most

[Project Look Book] Friday, Jan. 21, 2011

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I've used up all the highlighters in the office for my shirt today. After two consecutive days of black, I thought it was time to brighten things up. Shirt, Lacoste ; jeans, Topman ; shoes, Zara .

[Daily Doodle] Jan. 21, 2011

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Before... And after...

[Project Look Book] Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011

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Smoothening the transition here from the more formal corporate attire to casual Fridays with this ensemble. Lovin' the chinos with a "no socks" look. These chinos are the second of two I got from Bench back in November last year ( see related post here ). These are actually more green than brown but the setting sun and low light made them look more brown in the photo. Knit pullover and brown leather lace-ups, both Zara ; leather bracelet, H&M .

[Daily Doodle] Jan. 20, 2011

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Before... And after...

[Project Look Book] Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011

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In the mood for black today but toned down the somber look with these distressed metallic lace-ups from Zara . I totally forgot about this shirt already until I saw it last night while looking for something black. It has this stylized collar that won't allow a tie with it (unfortunately I don't have a closeup photo). Realized I still haven't worn it. I also can't remember when I exactly bought it, except that I got it from Tyler. Belt, Merger. The pants are from Topman . I always go for either their slim or skinny fit, preferably with the short length. Topman has either "R" for regular length or "S" for short. If I'm wearing skinny pants I want them to have very little or no break at all (but I'm not always successful at finding the perfect length). Here I'm wearing skinny, and judging by the break at the hems, I think they're the regular length.

[Daily Doodle] Jan. 19, 2011

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Forgot again. Anyways, only the two hearts were on the page originally.

[Project Look Book] Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011

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Today was our department's picture-taking ( as mentioned here ) at the roof deck of Tower 1 of our office building. So I took advantage of the location to document my look for today. Let's just say this was a stolen shot while I was posing for a different camera - my lowly Nikon D40 with Jasmin Garcia behind the lens. Photo courtesy of Joanne De Quintos, aviators lent by Riyal Viloria. This suit was another of my "accidents." I only intended to buy the pants but I impulsively got the jacket as well after the salesman showed it to me. No regrets, though - or guilt for that matter - especially since it wasn't expensive at all! In fact, it's the cheapest of my suits. Anthony Nocom at SM; black lace-ups from Aldo . The shirt was another accident way back in November of last year at The Block. It's the first time I'm wearing it here. G2000 . Look at the detailing. Can't blame me for getting this shirt. Paired it here with a black-on-blac